Preparing the next step

[wsbkp08]

Hello all
im currently working at a hospital setting as a full-time staff rph
some people would not understand this but after work I have so much free time and I feel like I'm wasting my life.
Of course I hang out with my friends, play games, watch movies, work out, etc but that's like 2-3 days in a week. Sometimes I'm staring at the wall so I want to use these spare times to prepare for my next career.
I just graduated, I'm 25, I'm not married/not planning to for awhile.. AND I don't want to stay as a staff pharmacist for the rest of my career life..
I can get a side job but I want to invest on something like: get a MBA get or other certificates...?
I just don't know!
I'm thinking my next step in like 3-4 years would be:
1. go to a different hospital setting with more competitive salary
2. be a consultant? (I don't even know... can you become one with 3-4 years of experience?)
3. go to a different job setting like industry

Any thoughts?!

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[lord999]

Don't screw up a good thing.

 

[gwarm01]

If you're like me you probably had difficulty adjusting to your career because you were so driven by achieving goals and progressing academically, then you get your first job and things really start to slow down. I felt like I was wasting my life because I wasn't working toward anything, and promotions don't just get thrown at you left and right. I aggressively pursued new jobs until I got that next step I was looking for, and in retrospect I regret doing that. It didn't bring happiness or fulfillment, it was just another job.

If you have a steady job, good benefits and pay.. hell, maybe just try to enjoy it. You worked hard for so long to have a decent life, so now try to learn how to enjoy it.

 

[pezdispenser]

No more studying or climbing the career ladder for me. I'm now doing stuff that I didn't have the time or money to do before. Like learning the saxophone. Thinking of buying a Porsche. I try to go to some far off country once a year. Last one was New Zealand. Make your bucket list and do it!

 

[Lnsean]

Hello all
im currently working at a hospital setting as a full-time staff rph
some people would not understand this but after work I have so much free time and I feel like I'm wasting my life.
Of course I hang out with my friends, play games, watch movies, work out, etc but that's like 2-3 days in a week. Sometimes I'm staring at the wall so I want to use these spare times to prepare for my next career.
I just graduated, I'm 25, I'm not married/not planning to for awhile.. AND I don't want to stay as a staff pharmacist for the rest of my career life..
I can get a side job but I want to invest on something like: get a MBA get or other certificates...?
I just don't know!
I'm thinking my next step in like 3-4 years would be:
1. go to a different hospital setting with more competitive salary
2. be a consultant? (I don't even know... can you become one with 3-4 years of experience?)
3. go to a different job setting like industry

Any thoughts?!

I'm going to go against the grain and the common advice here and tell you to pursue your desires and dreams. Life is short...but it is also very long. Don't be stuck doing something you don't like. You're very young....you can take risks...but calculated risks only. Look before you jump. Yes, you can keep this gig and go on cruise control the rest of your life...but is that what life is meant for? I personally don't think so. So go out there and achieve your heart's desires. God speed.

 

[farmadiazepine]

Welcome to real life. You have it so good. There are so many people out there who want to be in your shoes and would trade places with you immediately. The desires of your heart not will not be the desires in five years from now. If they are, then go pursue them.

 

[lane one]

Don't screw up a good thing.

/the end

 

[yungnaira]

MMJ

 

[wsbkp08]

If you're like me you probably had difficulty adjusting to your career because you were so driven by achieving goals and progressing academically, then you get your first job and things really start to slow down. I felt like I was wasting my life because I wasn't working toward anything, and promotions don't just get thrown at you left and right. I aggressively pursued new jobs until I got that next step I was looking for, and in retrospect I regret doing that. It didn't bring happiness or fulfillment, it was just another job.
If you have a steady job, good benefits and pay.. hell, maybe just try to enjoy it. You worked hard for so long to have a decent life, so now try to learn how to enjoy it.

I totally understand. But as far as the pay goes, it's little low (since I work in northeast hospital, the pay is like low 40s) so that's one of the reasons I want to add another work experience/certifications/degree to improve the pay.
Indeed, I worked hard to have a decent life but I want to work harder since I'm young AND I want to have a better life in 40s, 50s, 60s and rest of my life!

I'm going to go against the grain and the common advice here and tell you to pursue your desires and dreams. Life is short...but it is also very long. Don't be stuck doing something you don't like. You're very young....you can take risks...but calculated risks only. Look before you jump. Yes, you can keep this gig and go on cruise control the rest of your life...but is that what life is meant for? I personally don't think so. So go out there and achieve your heart's desires. God speed.

I completely agree with you. Life is short but it's also very long.... I have only one life. I want to make my life worthwhile!
I like what I do and I don't want to change my career or anything. Like other people mentioned, I worked really hard to be where I am! I think all the pharmacists worked really hard.
Think about it. 4 years of high school trying to get good grades/SAT scores and think about all that mess of getting into college.
Then another 2-4 years of undergrad depend on your program or ability to go straight to pharmacy school without graduating.
Then another 4 years of pharmacy school. Thats a minimum of 10 years of studying with extra stuffs like the NAPLEX, MPJE, etc.
I think I can do fun stuffs, make bucket lists, plan a Porsche while I can prepare for the next step and I am too young (I think..!)
As I have said, I have a lot of free time!
So what do YOU recommend me doing as in advancing my PharmD degree?

 

[ldiot]

You are only 25 and like you job, I wouldn't jump ship. Maybe work part time in retail or pick up some new hobbies. Switch your frame of mind from academic/career goals to financial goals. Make your next goal to pay off your student loans if you still have them or maybe to save up for a house.

 

[tobie]

a preceptor once told me to get a hobby. She did some day trading and real estate investing. When I graduated, I learned how to ride motorcycles and bought a Harley. once girl learned how to competitive dance and another travels ( a lot!!). Do things you enjoy. Dont quit your day job!

 

[wsbkp08]

You are only 25 and like you job, I wouldn't jump ship. Maybe work part time in retail or pick up some new hobbies. Switch your frame of mind from academic/career goals to financial goals. Make your next goal to pay off your student loans if you still have them or maybe to save up for a house.

As I have said, that's one of the reasons why I am trying to add credentials or other things to my name. I want to earn more money per hour in few years.
I am NOT trying to change my career. I want to to ADVANCE more than just a PharmD
Would PharmD/MBA help me? I don't know.
Would EPIC certification help me? I don't know.
OR I was even thinking about doing side jobs as some thing else like Real-Estate... lol
I'm just contemplating my options right now

 

[trailerpark]

Get a PS4 Pro and a good TV (Samsung KS8000) and play online.


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[PharmtoCS]

#firstworldproblems

Sent from my SM-N910V using SDN mobile

 

[Merrem_Covers_Sinusitis]

Learn how to cook, start a garden, take up antiqueing

 

[BidingMyTime]

Get married. Then have kids. You won't have anymore worries about free time, because you won't have.

 

[PharmerIsMe]

Hello all
im currently working at a hospital setting as a full-time staff rph
some people would not understand this but after work I have so much free time and I feel like I'm wasting my life.
Of course I hang out with my friends, play games, watch movies, work out, etc but that's like 2-3 days in a week. Sometimes I'm staring at the wall so I want to use these spare times to prepare for my next career.
I just graduated, I'm 25, I'm not married/not planning to for awhile.. AND I don't want to stay as a staff pharmacist for the rest of my career life..
I can get a side job but I want to invest on something like: get a MBA get or other certificates...?
I just don't know!
I'm thinking my next step in like 3-4 years would be:
1. go to a different hospital setting with more competitive salary
2. be a consultant? (I don't even know... can you become one with 3-4 years of experience?)
3. go to a different job setting like industry

Any thoughts?!

Well, instead of staring at the wall, you can help me find out a job! You can help me apply to many jobs, tailor cover letters, tailor resumes for each position, eat noodles and manage spreadsheet for expenses...Or you can also do it for yourself, apply to jobs that you might think will fulfill you in the future. I mean the heck, you can walk flat out to those positions and tell them, I want to work for free but want to get experience doing this.

I never thought that "job applying" was going to become my hobby after pharmacy school. I would rather be jogging.

 

[sakigt]

1. Career orientated: BCPS, MHA, etc
2. Personal development: Performance goals (lifting, running a marathon, yoga), Learning new skills (cooking, sewing), Wasting time appropriately ( meditation, reading)
3. Both: Learning new language, networking
4. Finance: Debt elimination, investing

 

[gwarm01]

Have you considered becoming an alcoholic?

 

[ldiot]

As I have said, that's one of the reasons why I am trying to add credentials or other things to my name. I want to earn more money per hour in few years.
I am NOT trying to change my career. I want to to ADVANCE more than just a PharmD
Would PharmD/MBA help me? I don't know.
Would EPIC certification help me? I don't know.
OR I was even thinking about doing side jobs as some thing else like Real-Estate... lol
I'm just contemplating my options right now

Why waste your time with extra certifications and degrees for the potential to make an extra 5 dollars an hour when you could just add a second part time job floating and make an extra 50k a year? Do that for a few years, invest the extra money, and make passive income for as long as it sits there. Unless you take some management position or start your own pharmacy it's pretty tough to significantly increase your income as a pharmacist without taking on more hours. Don't get me wrong, if you have strong people skills and an interest in management then an MBA might be a good idea but unless you want to go that route stacking more letters next to your name really isn't the best return on investment for a pharmacist in my opinion.

I don't even know what an EPIC certification is but I know a guy who did his entire residency in informatics, got his dream job in informatics, and doesn't make as much as your Wal-mart pharmacist. That's great for him, he is where he wanted to be, but as it applies to your situation a higher threshold of qualifications doesn't always equate to $

 

[wsbkp08]

Well, instead of staring at the wall, you can help me find out a job! You can help me apply to many jobs, tailor cover letters, tailor resumes for each position, eat noodles and manage spreadsheet for expenses...Or you can also do it for yourself, apply to jobs that you might think will fulfill you in the future. I mean the heck, you can walk flat out to those positions and tell them, I want to work for free but want to get experience doing this.

I never thought that "job applying" was going to become my hobby after pharmacy school. I would rather be jogging.

Yeah.. it's tough to find jobs these days. Did you work in school? Where are you located?

Why waste your time with extra certifications and degrees for the potential to make an extra 5 dollars an hour when you could just add a second part time job floating and make an extra 50k a year? Do that for a few years, invest the extra money, and make passive income for as long as it sits there. Unless you take some management position or start your own pharmacy it's pretty tough to significantly increase your income as a pharmacist without taking on more hours. Don't get me wrong, if you have strong people skills and an interest in management then an MBA might be a good idea but unless you want to go that route stacking more letters next to your name really isn't the best return on investment for a pharmacist in my opinion.

I don't even know what an EPIC certification is but I know a guy who did his entire residency in informatics, got his dream job in informatics, and doesn't make as much as your Wal-mart pharmacist. That's great for him, he is where he wanted to be, but as it applies to your situation a higher threshold of qualifications doesn't always equate to $

I think all of your comments are very helpful! thanks!
I was actually thinking of finding a part-time job where I can work on saturdays or sundays but those jobs don't open that easily lol so I'll just have to wait for the right time.
So as I was reading your comments, my question is would few years of hospital pharmacist experience with MBA or MHA (like sakigt said) will help me to find a manager position more easily?
Before I got my current job, I interviewed at this home infusion place and the manager position there looked like an awesome job to me.
So like those home infusion places or any other managerial positions, with few years of hospital experience alone will be enough or will I need a MBA/MHA degree to be more competitive?
Thanks!

 

[ldiot]

Yeah.. it's tough to find jobs these days. Did you work in school? Where are you located?



I think all of your comments are very helpful! thanks!
I was actually thinking of finding a part-time job where I can work on saturdays or sundays but those jobs don't open that easily lol so I'll just have to wait for the right time.
So as I was reading your comments, my question is would few years of hospital pharmacist experience with MBA or MHA (like sakigt said) will help me to find a manager position more easily?
Before I got my current job, I interviewed at this home infusion place and the manager position there looked like an awesome job to me.
So like those home infusion places or any other managerial positions, with few years of hospital experience alone will be enough or will I need a MBA/MHA degree to be more competitive?
Thanks!

I think an MBA would make you more competitive for any management job, but I don't think it's a requirement for many of them. The only managers that I have really ever got the chance to talk to were chain retail managers and none of them had an MBA; they just had to work their way up in the company. In retail, for example, all of the district managers and above are internal hires. I'm not sure how it is in other settings. You might want to target a certain setting and look into it, but be broad enough in your selection that it is realistic that you will actually have multiple jobs to apply to.

Working part-time would also be a good way to get your foot in the door and/or gain some experience in a different setting and even if it leads to nothing you are still make some extra money.

 

[gwarm01]

Why waste your time with extra certifications and degrees for the potential to make an extra 5 dollars an hour when you could just add a second part time job floating and make an extra 50k a year? Do that for a few years, invest the extra money, and make passive income for as long as it sits there. Unless you take some management position or start your own pharmacy it's pretty tough to significantly increase your income as a pharmacist without taking on more hours. Don't get me wrong, if you have strong people skills and an interest in management then an MBA might be a good idea but unless you want to go that route stacking more letters next to your name really isn't the best return on investment for a pharmacist in my opinion.

This is what I did. I work an extra 20 hours/month at a little hospital and make around $66/hr. It's low stress, helps me stay up on clinical practice, and over the course of 2016 had paid off my credit card and sent me on two vacations.

I don't even know what an EPIC certification is but I know a guy who did his entire residency in informatics, got his dream job in informatics, and doesn't make as much as your Wal-mart pharmacist. That's great for him, he is where he wanted to be, but as it applies to your situation a higher threshold of qualifications doesn't always equate to $

Epic certification is a requirement to do IT work in an Epic hospital. You basically get sponsored by your employer, fly out to Wisconsin for a few weeks to get trained, then are given admin access to the system. Here's the secret part: you still don't know how to do a damn thing in the system afterwards.